Inclined roller conveyors have long been used to convey articles from one place to another in manufacturing plants and warehouses. Conveyors of this type have proved to be convenient and economical for moving articles, such as cartons, for short distances. However, there have been disadvantages and difficulties in their use. The cartons, or other articles, have to be stopped at the far end of the conveyor and the articles frequently become damaged as they reach the stop at the end of the conveyor or when they bump into other articles on the conveyor. This damage is especially heavy when some of the articles being conveyed are lighter than the others and the lighter articles are mixed with the heavier articles. When, for example, a lighter article reaches the stop at the end of the conveyor and is stationary against the end stop, and then a heavy article follows and bumps into the lighter article the lighter article may be damaged.
To take care of this difficulty, the practice has been to have a number of roller conveyor lines and to segregate the articles, sending the lighter articles down one conveyor line and sending the heavier articles down another conveyor line. Not only does this require more conveyor equipment, but the separation of the articles to be conveyed and the assembling of the articles again at the end of the conveyor is troublesome and inconvenient.
It would be of substantial benefit to have a roller type conveyor which passes the articles safely along its track to its terminal position, and of even greater benefit to have such a conveyor which could carry articles of varying weight, size and value, on the same conveyor without damage being done to any of them.
Accordingly, we have set about to provide a roller conveyor having such capabilities. Further, it is desired that the improved conveyor system work automatically with a minimum of attention by operating personnel. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the invention.